Vending machine



H. B. STONER VENDING MACHINE Nov. 7, I950 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1946 Nov. 7, 1950 H. B. STONER 2,529,195

VENDING MACHINE Filed June 19, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheei: 2

- fjvvzivnm Z49 :5] 4/6 Z J5 JZIHEYE. 570N117? Arm/mm Nov. 7, 1950 H. B. STONER 2,529,196

VENDING MACHINE Filed June 19, 1946 4 Sheets-Shegtji Nov. 7, 1950 H. B. STONER 2,529,196

I VENDING MACHINE Filed June .19, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fvvmvrme HARM 5 570M573 Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VENDING MACHINE Harry B. Stoner, Aurora, Ill. Application June 19, 1946, Serial No. 677,735

The invention relates generally to improvements in vending machines and more particularly to improvements in coin-control mechanisms of a kind adapted to be associated with such a machine and of a character to be operated manually by the customer upon insertion of one or more coins.

The structure constituting the subject matter of the present invention is primarily intended to be incorporated in a vending machine of the character shown and described in Stoner et 2.1., United States Patent No. 2,324,040, dated July 13, 1943. It should be understood, however, that the invention may be incorporated in a vending machine embodying structural details other than as shown in said patent.

In the vending machine disclosed in that patent and shown in the accompanying drawings herein, several commodities are arranged in stacks or columns and are adapted to be discharged one at a time upon manual operation of selective discharge means. The discharge means normally is locked against actuation by a coin-control mechanism of a kind that is rendered operable upon insertion into the machine of one or more coins of like denomination; thus, the vending machine is made suitable for vending merchandise of different values which is discharged upon insertion into the machine of the required number of coins. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a vending machine of the character referred to with novel and improved coincontrol mechanism operable, when the required number of coins have been inserted, in response to manipulation of means operative to actuate mechanisms for discharging a piece of merchandise of a predetermined value.

Another object is to provide an improved coincontrol mechanism for locking the discharge mechanism of a vending machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 1 14 Claims. (01. 194-57) Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims'and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and which is considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same Or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and a purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the coin-control mechanism showing the vending machine housing in section.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail view of the coin-control mechanism, taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an elevational View looking at the inside face of the coin-control mechanism, taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional detail view through the coin-control mechanism, taken substantially on line 68 of Fig. 3, and showing the sliding members in elevation.

Fig. '7 is a detail view similar to Fig. 6 but showing a part of the coin-control mechanism in elevation and two of the sliding members in coindischarge position. I

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 8--8 of Fig. 2 and illustrating one of the stacks and the related merchandise vending operating mechanism in plan. 7

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail View showing a fragment of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8, and illustrating the coin-control mechanism in an intermediate position of operation.

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail View like Fig. 9, but showing the coin-control mechanism in another position assumed during an operating cycle.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of the vending actuating mechanism and the coin-control mechanism as viewed from the front of the machine, and taken substantially along line ll-II of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, the coin-control mechanism of the present invention is mounted within a vending .merchandise is arranged therein in stacks or columns such as is indicated at l6, which stacks are separated by vertically disposed partition walls ll, each having hingedly mounted thereon, in a; manner so as to normally be held horizontally, a plurality of plates or shelves l8 each of which is adapted to support an article of merchandise in the stack. The shelves iii are constructed and mounted so that the shelves in each stack may be successively dropped into substantially vertical positions so as to permit the merchandise supported thereon to drop downwardly during machine operation and t be delivered to the customer, through a vending opening l9.

The specific means for releasing the shelves l8 successively so as to drop a piece of merchandise into the vending opening 59 includes a plurality of plunger-s 2-5, one associated with each stack, which extend through openings 22 in the front wall of the vending machine housing. The plungers are efiective when pulled outwardly to actuate suitable operating mechanism, generally illustrated in Fig. 8, effective to permit the release of a latch mechanism 20, operatively connected to the plunger by a rod 28, holding the lowermost shelve E8 of the respectivestack when initially operated, and each successive operation of the said plunger actuates other latches like latch ze to release the next higher shelf. In this manner the pieces of merchandise contained in a single stack are successively vended, the lowermost piecebeing the-first one discharged, g The specific latch mechanism andoperating mechanism for effecting. successive release of the shelves is fully shown and described in the Stoner patent aforesaid, and because it constitutes no part of the present invention, a limited disclosure and brief description of the operation of the operating mechanism is all that is thought to be required herein for an understanding of its operation and relationship to the coin-control mechanism of the present invention. Upon re ferring to Figs- 8 and. 11, it will be observed that each. plunger 2! carries a vertically disposed actuating rod 23 which extends upwardly therefrom and is guided in a transverse slot 24 in the upper flange- 25 of a guide channel 26 arranged on the front side and adjacent the lower ends of the combined stacks l5. Inasmuch as the construction of the operating mechanism associated with each stack is substantially identical, with variations in the mechanical adjustment of certain parts thereof, the following description concerns itself with one such mechanism only.

A journal pin 21, provided closely adjacent to the plunger 2!, is firmly secured at its ends in the upper and lower flanges of the channel 25, as shown, and it carries a set of crank arms 28, one located above the other and suitably spaced apart, each. having a forwardly extending arm 29 suitably apertured to receive pintle pins (ii for pivotally connecting the ends of said arms one. to each of a of draw bars 32 which extend longitudinally across the iront of the guide channel In the embodiment shown there are three crank arms in each set, with the corresponding arms in each set disposed in horizontal rows, and a draw bar 32 connected one with all of the crank arms in each horizontal row. The crank arms mounted on any one of the journal pins 21 are adapted to operate either singly or in combinations of two or more. Each crank arm 28 has an enlarged portion disposed on one side of the journal pin 21 which includes a shoulder 33 normally disposed closely adjacent to the vertical rod 23 on the related plunger 2!. Links 34, one associated with each crank arm 28, are each pivotally mounted at one end on the related pintle pin BI, and each has its other end suitably shaped to provide'a downwardly extending lug which normally 1 lies inthe path of the associated vertical rod 23.

Springs 36, suitably anchored at 37 on each crank a-rmZB, have one end engaged in an ear 38 formed along one edge of the related link 34 and extending upwardly through an arcuate slot 39 in the related crank arm 28.

Upon reference to Fig. 11 it will be noted that the three crank arms 28 and links 3 constituting each set of operating mechanisms are identified therein by the indices a, b and c, As, there shown, the lugs 35 on all of the links 3 1 are disposed in the path of the vertical rod 23 so. that when the plunger 2| is-pulled outwardly to operate the vending machine, the crank arms 28 will be swung about their pintle pin 21 thus shifting the draw-bars 32 connected therewith longitudinally across the front of the machine; Each of the crank arms 28, constituting the set of crank arms associated with the stack at the ex.- treme right hand end of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 1, has an arm extension 41 carryinga knob or roller 52 which coacts with a coin control mechanism, generally indicated at 43, which is effective normally to prevent actuation of any set or sets of the actuating crank arms 28-.

The coin-control; mechanism, which embodies thefeatures of the present invention,.is designed to effect an unlocking of a selected operating mechanism upon the insertion of; one or more coins of like denominations so as to render such operating'mechanism actuable tovend an article of mercha-ndise of a value'corresponding to the number of coins deposited. To accomplish this; each set of crank arms 28 and their associated links 3d may be adjusted so that one, two or all three crank arms in any set will be swung about their common pintle pin 27' when their associated plunger 25 is pulled outwardly. This adjustment is effected by adjusting the position of one or twoof, thel-inks 34 of a set. For example, should the top link 34 of the set of bell cranks 28, shownin Fig. 11, be shifted by'grasping its ear 38 and moving it toward the opposite end of the slot 39 so that its lug 35 isout of the path of the vertical rod 23, outward movement of the-related plunger 2!: will result in; rotation of the two lowermost crank arms 28 of saidset only, the upper crank arm remaining stationary. similarly should the top and the intermediate links. be rendered ineffective in the. foregoingmanner, only the lower crank arm. 28 will be actuated when the plunger 121i ispulled outwardly. It will thus be apparent that the actuating mechanisms associated. with each stack of merchandise may be adjusted to permit the vending of merchandise of different values. For example, the merchandisecontained in right hand stack, when. themerchandise is viewed as in Fig, l and as shown in Figsfil and ll, will be a twenty cent item because all of the crank arms in the set are operatively connected to the plunger 2|. Other stacks may con.- tain merchandise to be dispensed for five or ten cents and, accordingly, the actuating mechanism associated with said stacks will be suitably adjusted to cause rotational movement of one or two of the crank arms in the manner aforesaid.

The coin-control mechanism, generally designated by the numeral 43, includes a plate assembly comprising a main plate 44 and an auxiliary plate 45 which are joined together as by means of rivets 46 which extend through inwardly struck protuberances 4'! in the auxiliary plate 45.

The protuberances 41 are provided to maintain the plates 44 and 45 in spaced relationship, with the distance between them being slightly greater than the coin for which the mechanism is designed.

In the embodiment shown, the space between the plates is of a size to correspond to the thickness of a five cent piece. The main plate 44 is substantially rectangular in shape and is provided at its bottom with a base flange 48 having openings 49 to accommodate pins 5| which extend upwardly from a fioor plate 52 in the vending machine. As best illustrated in Figs. 4 and.5, one of the pins 5| has a head 53 to engage over the margins of the opening 49 when the pin is inserted through said opening and the plate assembly moved forwardly. The other pin 5| is of a length greater than the length of the headed pin 5| so as to be received within an opening 54 in a latch 55 pivotally secured at 56 to the main plate 44 and normally held tightly wedged therein by means of a tension sprin 51 associated with said latch 55. A finger projection 58 is formed on the upper edge of the latch 55 so that said latch may be manually rotated about its pivot 56 for disengaging the pin 5| from the opening therein to facilitate removal of the coin-control mechanism from the vending machine for any purpose whatsoever.

The upper margin of the main plate 44 is offset outwardly to define a flange 59 to provide for the attachment of a coin-mechanism 6|. This coinmechanism 6| is of a standard construction, and as it forms no part of the present invention it is not thought necessary to describe the same in great detail. It should be noted, however, that said mechanism includes a magnet 62 for detecting fraudulent coins and a jam-release mechanism including a hingedly mounted plate 63 and a release trigger 64. Coins inserted into the machine through a coin slot 65 in the front wall thereof pass through a guide trough 66 and downwardly between a wall of the coin mechanism and the plate 63. The release trigger 64 is pivotally mounted at 61 and is suitably slotted at 68 to receive therethrough a guide pin 69, which slot and guide pin limit movement of the trigger 64 about its pivot 61. A stud H, carried by said trigger, extends through a slot 12 in the back wall of the coin mechanism 6| and cooperates with the hingedly mounted plate 63 in such manner that when the release trigger 64 is depressed, in a manner to be explained in detail hereinafter, the hingedly mounted plate 63 is moved outwardly away from the opposed wall of the coin mechanism 6| so as to increase the space between said hingedly mounted plate 63 and said wall to thereby enable any coin of a thickness greater than that intended to be passed through the coin mechanism to be released and deposited in a coin return chute 13.

The coin return chute 13 is located on the out- 6 side face: of the auxiliary plate '45fland it consists of an. elongated sheet metal stamping formed substantially; U-shaped and having its open face disposed towards the auxiliary wall 45. The coin chute may be secured to said wall in any suitable manner, but preferably is firmly attached thereto by having portions thereof extending through holes in the auxiliary Wall and bent over against the opposite face thereof, The lower end of .the intermediate Wall -portion 14 of the coinchute is deflected inwardly at an incline, as at 15, and extended through substantially square aligned openings 16 in the main and auxiliary plates 44 and 45 so that coins passing downwardly therethrough are discharged inwardly of .the coin-control mechanism and received in a suitablecoin return receptacle 1! located on the outside of the vending machine, as shown in Fig. 1.

Two lugs 18 and 19 are struck inwardl from the main plate 44, as best shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 7, so as to'provide a passageway. between the plates 44 and 45'to-receive good coins of the correct denominations that pass through the coin mechanism 6|. The-coins entering between'the lugs 18 and 19 drop downwardly between the plates 44 and 45 and normally rest with the lower'most' coin seated upon the top surface of a support 8| which extends through the openings 76 in the mainand auxiliary plates '44 and 45 and bridges the space between said plates, The support 8| comprises the top wall of an inverted U-shaped coin-release element, generally indicated at 82, which is fashioned from sheet stock and has its downwardly extending side wall portions 83 pivoted by means of a pin 84 to a pair of spaced apart lugs '85 struck out of and extending inwardly from the main plate 44 closely adjacent to the base flange 48. A spring 86 normally retains the coin-release element in the position shown with its intermediate wall portion Bl extending through the openings 16. Means is provided, which will be described presently,for imparting a rocking motion to the coin-release element to a sufiicient extent as will withdraw the wall support 8| from its normal position to permit any coins supported thereabove to be discharged onto the inclined portion 15 of the coin return chute.

The main plate 44 is provided with a plurality of horizontally disposed vertically spaced slots 8'| through each of which extends a horizontal wall portion 88 of a sliding member 89, which has its main body portion 9| disposed between the main plate 44 and the auxiliary plate 45. The main, body portion 9| of each of these sliding members is of a width substantially equal tothe diameter of a coin of a denomination to be used for operating the vending machine, and said body portions rest substantially with their opposed edges closely adjacent one to the other, as best shown in Fig. 6. The sliding members 89 are intended, upon insertion of the proper number of coins and during subsequent machine operation, to slide longitudinally a distance corresponding to the length of the horizontal slots 81 through which the wall portions 86 extend.

.Sliding movement of said sliding members is, however, normally prevented in the absence of any coins having been inserted into the coincontrol mechanism by a stop lug 92 extending from one edge of the intermediate wall portion 93 of a substantially U-shaped locking member 94, one of which is associated with each sliding member); The locking member's are fashioned from sheet stockiandithey have theirside'wall portions 95 pivotally mounted adjacent their free ends upon a vertically disposed shaft 96. journalled at its ends in spaced lugs 91 struck outwardly from the body of the main plate 4.4. Springs 98, one connected at'one end to one of the wall portions 95 of each locking member and at its other end to an edge flange 99 on the coin-control mechanism, normally hold said locking elements in .a position with their lugs 92 extendingthrough-related openings I in the main plate 44 and into the path of the related sliding members '89. I It should be quite evident at this timethat when a stop lug 92: is positioned in the path of a sliding member, said sliding member cannot be shifted out of the position substantially as shown in Fig. 6.

Sliding movement of one or more of the slidingmembers 89- is required ,topermit actuation able reciprocation therein the roller 42 of one of the crank arm extensions 4|, thus each sliding member 89 is connected with one crank arm 28 of each set and is adapted to be moved simultaneously therewith.

When one coin of a predetermined denomination, which in the present instance is a five cent piece, is deposited into coin 'mechanism 6|, it passes through the passageway between the lugs I8 and I9 and comes to rest upon the supporting wall 8I in alignment with the lowermost sliding member 89. When a plunger 2i, related to a stack of commodities of a kind to be vended for five cents, is pulled outwardly, the bottom crank arm 28in the related set of actuating means is engaged by the vertical rod- 23 onsaid plunger and rotated, which rotation is transmitted through the relatedconnectingbar 32 to the crank arm having the arm extension 4| engaged with the lowermost sliding member 89. Thus,

the lowermost sliding. member 89 is caused to move independently of the companion sliding members; such movement, however, being permitted only upon withdrawal of the stop lug 92 normally blocking its path.

\Vithdrawal of the stop lug 92 is obtained by means of a cam element I02 pivotally connected at one end, as by a screw I03, to the wall portion 88 of said sliding member and having its free other end extending through a'slotted opening I04 in the intermediate wall" portion 93 of the related locking member 94'. The cam element I02 is formed by a-stamping operation from sheet stock and is best shown in Fig. 8. It includes a projecting end portion I which extends through aligned slots I06 and- I0'I in the main plate 44 and auxiliary plate 45 so as to define with the lug 92 means to prevent initial displacement of the coin. The intermediate portion of the-cam element I02 is ofiset outwardly, away. from the main plate 44, as at I08, to presentoppos'ed pairs of cam surfaces I09 and HI sufficiently" spaced apart so as to allow the intermediate portion of said cam element to pass through the slotted opening I04 when th s iding member 89, is; ad;- vansed. Initial advancement of the sliding memher 89 carries the cam element I02 intosubstantially the position shown in Fig. 9 at which time the cam surfaces I09 thereon ar about to enter the slotted opening I04. In Fig. 10 the sliding member is shown in a position of further advancement, at which time the ofiset portion I08 has entered the slotted opening I04 and caused the locking member 94 to be rotated about its shaft 96 sufficiently to carry the lug 92 out of the path of the body portion 9! of the sliding member so that said member now is fre to slide the entire distance required to effect actuation of the. discharge mechanism and vending of the merchandise selected.

' It should be observed at this tim that the presence of a coin between the end portion I05 and lug 92 has prevented the free end of the cam element I02 from being cammed into the slots I06 and I0! during its advancement from the position illustrated in Fig. 9 toward the position illustrated in Fig. 10. Were this to occur, no movement would be imparted to the locking member 9:! and the stop lug 92 would remain in the path of and blockfurther sliding of the sliding member 89. Thus, the coin holds the free end of the cam element I02 in the position shown so that entrance of the cam surfaces I09 into,

the slotted opening I04 cams the locking member 94 outwardly to withdraw the lug 92 in the manner aforesaid.

As the sliding member 89 moves from the position shown in Fig. 8 intothe extreme sliding position, the coin is pushed along in advance of said sliding member and is discharged, as best shown in Fig. '7, into a coin receiving passageway II2 which delivers the coin into a coin receptacle contained within the base of the vending machine.

In instances where a commodity to be sold for ten cents is desired, the customer will insert two coins of like denomination into the coin mechanism BI and said two coins will assume positions substantially as shown in Fig. 6, with one in alignment with each of the two lowermost sliding members 89. When the corresponding plunger 2i is pulled outwardly, two of the crank arms 28 in the set of crank arms associated with said plunger ar actuated to impart sliding movement to said two sliding members, at which time the cam elements I02 associated therewith are made eiiective'to move the lugs 92 out of the paths ofjsaid two sliding members so that they may complete their stroke and discharge both coins into the discharg passageway H2.

Should it be desired to obtain a piece of merchandise vended for twenty cents, the customer will deposit four coins of like denomination into the coin'mechanism 6i, and these coins will be supported one in horizontal alignment with each of the two lowermost sliding members 89, and the two remaining coins in alignment with the dual end portion II3 on the uppermost sliding member 89a. Upon reference to Fig. 4, it will be observed that the sliding member 89a has a pair of cam members I02 connected thereto in the same manner as the cam members I02 ar connected to each of the two lowermost sliding members 89. Each one of this pair of cam members I02, connected to the sliding member89a', is associated with a lockingmember 94 so that manipulation of the correct plunger 2! will cause the three sliding members to be advanced so as to simultaneously carry all of the locking mombers Stout of locking position. v

It should be understood at this time that any combination of sliding members and lockingmembers 94 may be embodied inthe present mechanism so that, for example, commodities valued'at ten, fifteen and twenty cents may be vended, in which instance a sliding member similar to thatindicated at 89a wouldbe positioned at the bottom of the series of slidingmembers to thereby prevent machine operation upon the insertion of a single coin.

The motion of any or all of the sliding members 89 must be completed to the ends of the strokes to prevent fraudulent manipulation of the device. This is accomplished by providing a pawl II4 on the coin-control mechanism, as shown in Fig. 2. The pawl H4 is mounted for free rotation on a pm- I'I5 and is held normally with its engaging portion II6 substantially vertical by two tension springs III which are connected one to each of a pair of legs IIBsubstantially diametrically opposed to theengaging portion I I6. Pins or studs I I9 projecting outwardly from the auxi1iary plate'45 pIOVide means for securing the other ends of the springs in place. In the construction illustrated the auxiliary plate 45 has a horizontal slot I 2I through which a block I22 extends. The block I22 is firmly secured to the back face of the lowermost sliding member 89 as by means of rivets I23, and its lower edge is serratedto provide teeth I24 disposed in a plane to cooperate with the engaging portion II6 on the pawl Il4when'the sliding member 89 is moved during machine operation. In operation, as the said sliding member 86 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, the serrated edge I24 will engage the engaging por tion I I 6 and move the pawl in a clockwise direc tion, in which position the sliding member 86 can continue moving to the right; but if this movement is stopped while'the engaging portion II 6 is still in engagement with, the teeth I24, the motion cannot be reversed to the left. However, when -the stroke of the sliding member 86 has been completed to such an extent that the block I22 is moved past the pawl Il4,'the pawl will again resume its normal substantially vertical position. When the stroke is then reversed, the pawl II4 will again be. effective to prevent anything but a completed return stroke for the sliding member 89.

Should a customer desire to have any coin or coins deposited in the coin'slot returned to him 7 without completing the operation of the machine and obtaining the commodity originally selected,

he may actuate suitable meansto permit said coins to be discharged therefrom. Such means is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and it includes a bell-crank lever I25 which is' fashioned from sheet stock and is pivotally mounted at I26 on a bracket I 21, also fashioned from sheet stock, firmly secured, as by welding, to the outside face of the end wall of the right hand stack located adjacent the coin-contro1led mechanism. The bell-crank lever I25 has an arm portion I 28 which extends upwardly from the pivot'l26 and is provided on its free end with an angularly disposed finger engagingportion I29. This finger engaging portion I29 is located to the rear of an opening I3I in the front wall of the vending machine housing I2, or is otherwise so disposed as to be readily accessible for engagement by the customer. The bracket I21 has its upper'margin bent out of the plane thereof substantially horizontally to provide a flange I32 'having a slot I33 therein through which the armportion I28 extends and which affords means for limiting movement of said arm about its pivot I26.

The other arm I34 of said bell-crank lever I25 extends rearwardly and downwardly from the pivot I26 and then horizontally to dispose its free end I35 through a slot in a vertical flange I36 bent from the rear end of the bracket I21, so as to be guided therein. This flange also carries a stud I31 engageable in a hole in the end of the flange 99 on the rear edge of the coincontrol mechanism to hold said mechanism in place. A spring I38 having one end connected to the arm I34 and its other end anchored in the horizontal bracket flange I 32 normally retains the bell-crank lever in the position of rest illustrated in Fig. 2. It should be quite evident that when the finger engaging portion I29 is pushed inwardly of the housing by the customer, the bell-crank lever is rotated about its pivot I26 in a'clockwise direction against the tension of spring I38.

A pin I II extending outwardly from one face of the arm I34 of the bell-crank lever I25 is disposed immediately above the coin-release trigger 64 so that when the bell-crank lever I28 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, the pin I4! will cause the coin-release trigger 64 to bemoved about its pivot 61 to swing the hingedly'mounted plate 63 of the coin mechanism away'from the wall thereof so as to release any jammed coin or coins having a thickness greater than the thickness of the coin the mechanism is adapted to receive. Such coins as are released upon movement of the movable plate 63 fall into the coin return chute I3 and are returned to the customer.

Movement of the bell-crank lever I25 acts also to depress a bar I 42, loosely connected thereto, as by means of a rivet 'I43,'which extends vertically between the vending machine casing and the coin-control mechanism and has its lower end bent substantially at right angles thereto to define a foot portion I44 that overlies a lug I45 struck out of one of the side walls 83 of the coin support 82. A spring I46 retains the bar I42 in actuable position with relation to the bellcrank lever I25, but when said bell-crank lever is rotated to actuate the coin-release trigger, the bar I42 is carried downwardly thereby so that its foot portion I44 engages the lug I45 to rock the coin support 82 about its pivot so as to withdraw the supporting wall portion 8| from beneath the coins supported thereby between the spaced apart plates 44 and 45. Such coins as are releasedfupon withdrawal of the wall portion SI of the coin support 82 drop onto the inclined surface 15 of the coin-return chute and are likewise returned to thecustomer. It should be understood that the mechanism disclosedinlthe accompanying drawings and described in detail in the foregoing description lends itself to be manufactured entirely by stamping operations and that it mayembody various modifications in detail structure without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. In a vending device of the character described including a plurality of stacks for supporting commodities therein and normally inoperative operating means associated with each of said stacks for causing said commodities to be delivered from said-stacks one by one, a coincontrol mechanism associated'with said device for releasing said operating means including sliding members and blocks normally blocking said'sliding members, and coin positioned cam means carried by said sliding members movable during initial movement of said sliding members in the presence of coins into positions to engage and remove the blocks from the paths of the sliding members.

2. In a vending device of the character described including a plurality of stacks for supporting commodities and operating means including levers arranged in sets associated with each of said stacks for causing said commodities to be delivered from said stacks one by one, a coin-control mechanism associated with said de vice for releasing said operating means, said mechanism comprising a plurality of sliding members one operatively connected to one or more levers in each of said sets of levers, means normally locking said sliding members against movement to prevent actuation of said operating means, said locking means having a slot therein and cam means on said sliding members, said cam means extending through the slot in a related locking means and each having a portion thereof disposed for engagement by a coin so that one or more of said cam means is efi'ective upon the insertion of one or more coins of like denominations to unlock the corresponding number of locking means and permit operation of the operating means connected thereto.

3. In a coin-control mechanism including spaced apart plates between which a coin is adapted to pass, a sliding member between said plates and extending through one of said plates, a ,cam element onsaid member extending through a slot in said one plate into the space between them, and a locking member to prevent sliding movement of said sliding member, said locking member and said cam element being uperatively associated so as to move the locking member into unlocking position when a coin is located between the plates in the path of said cam element'to prevent its extending into the space between the plates.

4. In a coin-control mechanism including spaced apart plates between which a coin is adapted topass, a sliding member, a cam element on said member extending through a slot in one of said plates into the space between them, a locking member to prevent sliding movement of said sliding member, said locking member and said cam element being operatively associated so as to move the locking memberinto unlocking position when a coin is located between the plates in the path of said cam element to prevent its entrance into the space between the plates, and means on the cam element to prevent displacement of the coin.

5. A coin-control mechanism for a machine for vending commodities of various values comprising a plurality of slidingmem'bers, means normally blocking said sliding members, cam elements one carried on each member operativewith the blocking means, one of said cam elements having a portion thereof engageable by a coin so as to be positionable in the presence of a coin to cam the related blocking member into unblocking position during initial movement of the related sliding member so as to permit said sliding member to move through its complete path of travel.

'7. A coin-control mechanism comprising spaced plates, a plurality of sliding members arranged'between said plates, separate means normally locking each of said members against sliding movement, and cam elements one con-,- nected at one end to each sliding member and having its other end slidably engaged with the related locking means effective to move the said locking means into an unlocking position when a coin is associated therewith so as to permit the sliding of the related sliding member.

8. A coin-control mechanism comprising a pair of plates spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the thickness of a coin of a predetermined denomination, means to direct a coin along a predetermined path between said plates, a plurality of sliding members arranged edge to edge between said plates, said members having abutting shoulders on their'opposed edges to render said members selectively movable in succession, blocking members pivotally mounted on one face of one of said plates, each including a lug normally extending between the plates to prevent movement of the sliding members, and a cam element carried by eachsliding member and slidable in a related locking member so as to unlock the related locking member when a coin is aligned with the related sliding member be tween the plates and said sliding member is moved.

9. A coin-control mechanism comprising a pair of spaced apart. plates, means to direct a coin along a predetermined path between said plates, a plurality of sliding members arranged edge to edge betweensaid plates, said members ly associated with the blocking means, said cam elements each having a portion thereof engageable by a coin to as to be positionable to cam the related blocking member into unblocking position upon movement of the sliding members when coins are located one in a predetermined position relative to each sliding member.

6. A coin-control mechanism for a machine for vendingcommodities comprising a plurality of sliding members, mean v normally blocking said sliding members, cam elements one carried on each sliding member operatively associated being of a width corresponding to the diameter of a coin of predetermined denomination and having abutting shoulders on their opposed edges to render said member selectively movable in succession, blocking members pivotally mounted on one face of one of said plates, each including a lug normally extending between the plates to prevent movement of the sliding members,,cam elements one carried by each sliding member and one slidably connected with a related locking member, said cam elements being effective to unlock the relating locking members when a number of coins corresponding to the number of slide members is aligned with the related slide ing member between the plates. I

10. A coin-control mechanism comprising spaced apart plates adapted to receive a coin therebetween, one of said plates having a plurality of slots therein, a plurality of sliding members arranged between said plates, a wall portion on each sliding member extending one through each slot, cam elements pivotally connected at one endto each wall portion, the plate having additional slots underlying the free end portions of said cam elements, a plurality of looking members pivotally mounted on the slotted plate each having a stop lug normally rested in the path of one of the sliding members, means to support a coin between the plates in position tocoact with the free end portion of one of the cam elements so that when the vending machine is actuated to vend an article for which a coin has been deposited said cam element coacts with the locking member to move the locking lug out of the path of the sliding member.

11. A coin-control mechanism for a vending machine including normally locked selectively actuable operating means, said mechanism comprising spaced apart plates adapted to receive a coin therebetween, one of said plates having a plurality of slots therein, a plurality of sliding members arranged between said plates, a wall portion on each sliding member one extending through each slot and operatively connected to one or more of said operating means, cam elements pivotally connected at one end one to each Wall portion, the plate having additional slots underlying the free end portions of said cam elements, a plurality of locking members pivotally mounted on the slotted plate each having a stop lug normally rested in the path of one of the sliding members, means to support a coin between the plates in position to coact with the free end portion of one of the cam elements so that the effected cam element is positioned to move the locking lug out of the path of its associated sliding member whereby said member may slide in response to selective operation of the operating means connected thereto.

12. A coin-control mechanism for a machine having a plurality of stacks for supporting commodities therein and operating means associated with each stack for causing said commodities to be delivered selectively from said stacks one by one, said mechanism comprising slidable members adapted to be linked to each of said operating means, means normally locking said sliding members to prevent actuation of the operating means, and a cam element on each of said sliding members, said cam elements being slidably connected one with each locking means and each being adapted to have a coin associated therewith to render it eiTective to unlock the associated locking means when the related sliding member is moved in response to actuation of the operating means associated therewith.

13. A coin-control mechanism comprising a pair of plates spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the thickness of a coin of predetermined denomination, means to direct a coin along a predetermined path between said plates,

a plurality of sliding members arranged edge to edge between said plates, blocking members pivotally mounted on one face of one of said plates, each including a lug normally extending between the plates to prevent movement of the sliding members, a cam element carried by each sliding member slidably connected to a related locking member adapted to be rendered effective to unlock the related locking member when a coin is aligned with the related sliding member between the plates, and a support normally lying in the path of the coins to retain a coin in such alignment.

14. A coin-control mechanism comprising a pair of plates spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the thickness of a coin of a predetermined denomination, means to direct a coin along a predetermined path between said plates, a plurality of sliding members arranged edge to edge between said plates, said members having abutting shoulders on their opposed edges to render said members selectively movable in succession, blocking members pivotally mounted on one face of one of said plates, each including a lug normally extending between the plates to prevent movement of the sliding members, a cam element carried by each sliding member slidably connected to a related locking member adapted to cam the related locking member out of locking position when a coin is aligned with the related sliding member between the plates, a support to retain said coin in such alignment, and means operable independently of the coin-control mechanism to move the support out of the coin path so that said coin may be discharged without actuation of the coin-control mechanism.

HARRY B. STONER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,001,112 Schaeffer May 14, 1935 2,324,040 Stoner et a1 July 12, 1943 2,330,153 Steiner Sept. 21, 1943 2,371,896 Knauer Mar. 20, 1945 

